Good Stuff

Saturday, November 29, 2008

It's too big a topic. It is definitely too big a challenge. There is no way that Christians- or anyone for that matter- can legitimately think that they will change the world. There is too much world that needs to be changed and I am only one person, after all. Who do I think I am?

There is a lot to do. There are AIDS orphans, starving refugees, global warming, racial profiling, sexual slavery, domestic abuse, drug addiction, disease, natural disasters, political oppression, civil unrest, rampant crime, imperialistic regimes, pirates on the high seas, and if that isn't enough, sometimes I get a hangnail. Sometimes I just want to give up.

All too often that is just what happens. We know that bad things happen and that there are injustices all around the world, including our own neighborhoods, but we insulate ourselves from the consequences and the implications of it.

So when the infomercial about the starving children comes on the television, I change the channel as quickly as I can so I do not have the opportunity to get uncomfortable. When someone reminds me how much food I waste while others are dying of starvation, I rationalize that I could not send my leftovers to Africa anyway. What am I supposed to do, anyway?

First of all, we need to change the way we think. It was Charles Sheldon in his novel, In His Steps, who coined the question, What would Jesus do? We need to start thinking like Jesus thinks. We need to consider the needs, desires, hurts and hungers of others. We need to think about those in our homes, in our communities and around the world.

We should be thinking about how our actions effect others. We should think about how our lack of action effects others. You and I should begin being thoughtful about all that we do. Let us consider whether our actions are consistent with those of Jesus.

Secondly, like Jesus, we ought to begin placing the needs of others before our own. Jesus taught that the Son of Man came to serve others. We should be serving others. We need to be putting the needs of others before our own needs.

We also need to be consistent in our lives. It is not enough to think about changing the world. We need to do more than think of others' needs on Sundays. We must live lives of service on a regular basis. There is a great need for consistency in our lives.

We can never get the idea that our efforts are insignificant. Changing the world will take a long time. It will seem like nothing is happening. Do not give up. Do not think that you are not making a difference. The world is changed one life at a time. Our efforts are measured one day at a time. Remember that Martin Luther King, Jr. was not the great national civil rights leader when he preached his first sermon. It took time.

Finally, all those who would make a difference in the world must be committed to a life of changing the world. That is, we cannot get bored with our task. We must not be distracted when things get difficult. We can never quit, no matter how long change takes. We cannot waver even if we do not see the change in our life times.

Friday, November 28, 2008

What is wrong with our world? I know that things are not exactly great right now. We are involved in two wars that we cannot win. Our economy is in the toilet and no one seems to know how to fix it, or even if it can be fixed. There is turmoil all over the world. Our families are going to pot. There is a consistent (constant?) threat of terrorism everywhere we go. All of this leads to what I call an atmosphere of fear, or an atmosfear.

In America we elected a new president, from a different party than the current administration, and we all celebrate and look forward to one of the greatest signs of American freedom and democracy: the peaceful transition of power. The whole world is celebrating a new day of policy in America. And yet, in the USA we have an atmosfear.

Consider these signs:

In the weeks immediately following the election gun sales skyrocketed in anticipation of more restrictive laws in the new administration.

Talk of assassinations and terrorist attacks have increased everywhere.

White people have become paranoid about how the new government will try to "get back at them" or "even the scales."

Many people that I know are "afraid" about what the future holds.

I have a couple of thoughts. First of all, I am afraid that much of the fear that many are experiencing is a ruse. It is code language for a subtle racism. People are afraid because they are white, and whether they realize it or not, they are exhibiting a bit of prejudice. There is nothing to fear from a democratically elected administration in the USA.

Secondly, atmosfear is the calling card of certain political elements that have had a lot of control of events over the last seven- eight years. As long as people are afraid, they can be manipulated. As long as we think things will get worse, we can be controlled.

I, for one, am tired of being afraid. Perhaps there are cases when fear is a wise state to be in, but fear is one step better than paranoid. Paranoid is just a short trip away from exhausted. I am already too tired to get paranoid. And although it may not always be the wisest choice, to the best of my ability I am not going to be afraid. I am going to try my best to live my life with joy.

In this sense, music can cause the body to behave in exactly the opposite way that stress does. Stress tends to restrict blood flow in the arteries and veins increasing the possibility of heart difficulties. Happy music, like laughter (http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/laughter2.htm), actually makes you healthier.

Now you have all the proof you need. Listen to some good music and have a good life.

Monday, November 24, 2008

One of the most important elements of the Nativity story that we Christians celebrate each year is the significance of the virgin birth of Jesus. It is central not only to our understanding of Christmas, but to our belief in the incarnation. The incarnation is the doctrine that teaches us that God took the form of humanity in the person of Jesus. Philippians 2.5-11 gives a great perspective on the incarnation. And although the incarnation is the most significant thing that we get from the virgin birth, it is not the only thing.

The virgin birth is prophesied in Isaiah. The prophet tells the people that a virgin will conceive and bring forth a son (Isaiah 7.14). In the Gospels we learn that this prophecy was fulfilled in Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. There was not a human father. Joseph, the betrothed husband of Mary, would serve as an adoptive, or surrogate, father for Jesus, but Jesus was literally the Son of God.

This event was so significant that many have chosen to exalt Mary as a “blessed mother.” Two cautions should be observed here. First of all, Catholics and others have sometimes exalted Mary to a place equal with Jesus. The Scripture does support claims that Mary was more holy, more blessed than others, but we would do well to give her too much authority or power in the spiritual cosmos. Secondly, in reaction to what is seen as an over-blown Catholic veneration of Mary, many Protestants, and especially evangelicals, have diminished or ignored the importance of Mary. A balance is called for here on both sides of the issue.

But what of the doctrine of the Virgin Birth itself? What should we believe about the Virgin Birth?

Although I do not believe that a virgin birth is required to believe in the divinity of Jesus, I do believe that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived. I have a very high view of Scripture and that means that I choose to believe what the Bible says about this issue.

I do not believe that Mary was born of a virgin. This common dogma is essentially unnecessary. If Mary were born of a virgin it does exalt her, but it does nothing to bring glory to Jesus. There is nothing in the Bible to support this view.

I believe that Mary was not always a virgin. After the birth of Jesus I believe that she married Joseph and that there were several children born in that family. There is no reason to believe that the other children were either miraculously conceived or born of another mother.

I do not believe that the virgin birth implies that there is anything inherently sinful about sexual relationships. There are rules and guidelines that God gives for sex, but we should not infer that Mary’s virginity is what made Jesus sinless.

I believe that Jesus’ miraculous birth sets the stage for his life and ministry. He was- and is- the Son of God. The events of the first Christmas echo through the ages so that we can know and experience “peace on earth.”

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5.16

An observation: Although marathon runners would love to win their races, they are more interested in the competition with themselves. They want to accomplish the marathon, not necessarily win it. The challenge is to train and prepare to compete and to complete the marathon.

Often we tend to focus on the outcomes of prayer. We want to learn how to pray so that things will happen. We pay such attention to the end result that we miss the joy of praying. By doing so we lose out on the deeper things that come with a relationship with Christ.

Our prayer lives should be more like training for a marathon. We need to pay more attention to the first part of this passage than the second part. We ought to be more interested in being effective and fervent, than the availing much. To that end, let us focus on:

Consistency in time, place and commitment of our prayers.

Focusing on needs and persevering in our prayers.

Planning to pray. Think in advance about what you are going to pray.

Not giving up or being discouraged when nothing (or very little) seems to be happening.

Encouraging others in their prayers and seeking the encouragement of others.

Listening to God's voice as he speaks to us.

PRAYER: We want results, Lord. We have been trained to produce, and in our prayer lives we are no different. We want things to happen. Help us to realize that sometimes we should focus on our relationship with you. Make us effective and fervent in our prayers. Amen.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I have written before about what I call "adult movies," those films with themes that are not necessarily scandalous, but deal with themes beyond having sex, using drugs or super heroes. When I talk about adult films, I am referring to movies that children and teens (and unfortunately, many adults) are not interested in. For more on adult films go here: http://revdeweysworld.blogspot.com/2008/09/adult-films.html .

Within in the large category of adult films, there as a sub-category that I would call "redemptive movies." Redemptive movies, to me anyway, are films that make you a better person. Sometimes you grow and improve just by having watched the film. Other times the movie will cause you to make decisions or take actions that will change your life or future. There is one footnote: redemptive movies change you for the better. Change in itself does not make a movie redemptive. For example, a film that is excessively violent may create change in you. It might make you angry, or cause you to accept or tolerate violent actions. This is not redemption, however.

I understand that my definition of redemptive is very subjective. What is positive change to me, will not be positive to someone else. I know this is the case. So with that understanding, let us move forward to recognize that movies- and all art for that matter- can be powerful tools for changing people, our culture and the world.

Many of the movies that I have reviewed on this blog are 'redemptive movies.' They are films that make you think. They cause you to evaluate life, the world and especially the status quo. Redemptive films are tools for education. I learn new things and different perspectives when I watch a movie with a message.

I don't always agree with 'redemptive movies.' Sometimes they cause me to change in a way that is completely different than what the film-maker intended. Once in a while I watch a movie just because it is controversial. 'Redemptive movies' often fall into the controversial category, but they do not need to.

Be on the look out for movies that do not only entertain, but also educate. Our time is wasted if we sit down for two hours, turn off our brains and let someone else think for us. Film should make you think, learn, change and feel.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Recently several things have happened in my immediate and extended family that have caused some embarrassment. Because of the nature of these events I will not go into detail, but suffice it to say that things were said, feelings were hurt and tempers flared in a couple of different situations. That is not so unusual.

The response of those involved was to clam up. They all stopped talking. They were concerned with the difficulty of the situations, yes. But more so, they were worried about what other people would think. How often that is the case in life. We become so worried about the opinions of others that we do not do what is right. We obsess about our own reputations at the expense of truth, justice and the American way.

Often this "secrecy" leads to more trouble. Other people think that we have it all together and sometimes make embarrassing assumptions about us and our mental state. By hiding things we can also foster a spirit of dishonesty. Remember that lying is a violation of most ethical codes, and certainly the Ten Commandments.

This is why I have started to think in terms of how I relate to people. I still believe that it is important to have a good reputation. I want to avoid evil and sin at all costs. I especially want to know that others know I am living a good life. But there comes a time and place that we must all decide what is important. In addition, we need to consider whose opinion about us is important.

I am trying to group people (and their opinions) into three categories. I look at these as concentric circles of people (much like a bull's eye target). I am the center of the target and these groups of people are those around me. From closest to farthest they are...

Family. These are the people that are closest to me. They are the ones that I respect and love. These are the people that I want to respect and love me. I am not necessarily related to everyone in my family-category, but I want to be sure that I never disappoint any of these people.

Friends. Friends are people who are important in my life. They are not quite in the "family circle," but they are in the next level out. I am concerned about these folks and what they think of me, but if God (or family) calls friends are left out.

Fans. I want everyone to like me. My preference is that I will never upset, anger or disappoint anyone. But, things happen. Fans are the people that I want to please, but are of the least importance to me. If I have to upset anyone, it will be the fans.

Discretion is always a good thing. Secrecy generally is not. I will do my best to be discreet, but I am going to TRY being through with hiding things just because of what you might think.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them. "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.Mark 10.13-16

Sometimes we forget that we should be blessing other people. Maybe we think that we are somehow not qualified to bless others. Although in this passage it is Jesus who is doing the blessing, it does not mean that you and I cannot bless other people. There are blessings throughout the Bible, and in the history of the Christian church. By blessing others we are participating in an ancient tradition.

A blessing, or a benediction, is simply a prayer that asks God to confer on another a measure of his love and grace. When we say a blessing, we are claiming, through faith, that God's will is for the object of the prayer to be blessed. We may think that it is audacious to pronounce blessings, but it is actually claiming what God has already promised. As we bless others we should follow the example of Jesus in this passage.

We should:

Speak encouraging words to those whom we desire to bless. For many, receiving a blessing will be a new experience. It can be a little awkward at first. Begin by sharing assuring words of comfort and explanation.

Touch the people you seek to bless. A hand on the forehead is often a good way to pronounce a blessing. Other options include holding hands or touching a shoulder. Always be sure that you do not make anyone uncomfortable. Notice that Jesus' purpose was to put others at ease.

Say the blessing.

This may be difficult at first, but you will soon become comfortable with blessing others. This has the potential to change your life, and the lives of all those that you might bless along the way.

PRAYER: May the Lord bless you with good health, grace, peace and love. May the Creator of all keep and sustain you in all you do. And may the Holy Spirit dwell in your heart now and always. Amen.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

I have always thought of myself as a creative person. I am always trying to innovate. My philosophy is "Why wait until it's broken? Let's fix it now!" New ideas, new programs, new ministries are what make me tick. I want to hear new music and watch new and different movies.

So you don't get the wrong idea, let me assure you that 'new' to me is not the same as 'new' to everyone else. When I see a movie for the first time, it is new. It doesn't matter when it was made. New is the same as unique or original in my mind. My definition is not exactly the same as everyone else's.

Creativity, therefore, is a highly prized commodity in Rev Dewey's World. Doing old things new ways, trying something new, or adapting something to my situation are all things that I prize. Creativity is a gift from God, and it reminds people (me, anyway) of the Creator of all, God himself. Creativity is from God. Creativity is good.

Recently I was invited to attend a seminar on "Moving and Growing in the Prophetic." You can tell from the title of the class where the theological sympathies of the leaders and hosts lie. We learned a lot about listening to God's voice, prayer and sharing a 'word' with someone and the dangers that the word could create. There was a lot of practice. We prayed for a moment and then wrote down what God was saying. We tried to get our own ideas and opinions out of the way as we focused on the Lord himself. The seminar was frustrating to me in that many of the exercises seemed superfluous and the simplicity of hearing from God was made overly complicated.

It was at the seminar, as I was considering these thoughts that it occurred to me that creativity is related to prophecy and the world of the prophetic. In fact, I believe that in many cases we can equate creativity with prophetic words and utterances.

Many people never allow their creativity to flow because they are intimidated by others. They feel inferior to the creative output of someone else, or that others will belittle their creative efforts. This should never be the case. But the same is true in the world of the prophetic as well. There are many people who never share what God is saying. They are afraid that someone else will think that they are "weird," a "religious fanatic" or "holier than thou." Isn't it time that we all took a step back and allowed God to speak to all of us? Isn't it time that we allowed God to fan the flames creativity in every life? For the good of everyone?

What is God saying to you? What is he doing in your life? Do you want to know what he is doing in mine?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

There are several problems in our world. You know that. There are too many big problems for anyone to deal with, all at once anyway. There is hunger, war, poverty, abortion, HIV-AIDS and way more than that. All of these issues can be overwhelming if we let them overwhelm us. There are a few things that we can do something about, however. There are some issues that we can make a stand on and make a difference.

One such issue has to do with the arts. Our world, our culture, is seriously in trouble. The arts, particularly in schools, have been relegated to an under-funded, under-appreciated ghetto. As a society we have decided that we do not care about great music, great dance, great literature or great painting. Great theatre has been replaced with reality television.

The front line in this battle has been in our public schools. Arts funding in education has been cut over and over again. Local communities are opting to support the football team financially, but not the band. This is a very bad sign. (This is not limited to local schools, however. Cities all across America are 'investing' millions of dollars in stadiums hoping that will mean more money for their baseball teams and their communities. Meanwhile, the arts community struggles.)

People all across our nation need to begin to speak out, not against sports-related investment, but in favor of arts investment, beginning in our local schools.

We need to protect our music, drama and fine arts programs.

Every student should be taking an arts appreciation course at every level of school.

Every person, adult and child, should be surrounding themselves with great art.

We need to be advocating for the arts in a public setting as patrons, participants and artists.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.James 4.2-3

There are three things that in this passage that make it good for us to focus on. And although these verses are specifically about prayer, these thoughts can be applied to all areas of life and all relationships. Call them "prayer pointers" or "life principles," but be sure to use these as a focal point for your life.

You do not get answers to your prayer because you ask with the wrong motives. You may be asking for good things, but God knows your heart. Make sure that what is in your heart is pleasing to God.

You do not get answers to your prayers because you ask for the wrong things. Listen for God's voice to make sure that your requests are within his will for your life.

You do not get answers to your prayers because... you do not pray. How foolish you feel when you realize that you have forgotten to pray.

Prayer is a relationship with God. It goes both ways. you have to be in tune with his plan and will for your life before you can expect him to give you what you want.

PRAYER: I do not want to neglect my relationship with you, Lord. Help me to hold up my end. Fill me with your Spirit and inspire me to serve you more. In the name of Jesus the Christ, I pray. Amen.

Sometimes I get discouraged, wondering why it seems that God never speaks to me. I am here. I haven't gone anywhere. Where is God? This is even more troubling as I see God working in the lives of people all around me. Why should I not get to hear his voice? Why is it that I am not seeing miracles?

Some would say that the difference is a lack of faith. I think that this may be part of it, but I am not ready to concede that it is all. I know that there are times when God does something we do not pray for or desire. He is God. He is sovereign. He is not bound by our wishes regardless of our level of faith. God is God and will be God no matter what.

I believe, rather, that the single greatest factor in hearing God's voice, or seeing God's hand, is in anticipating it.

We should expect God to speak and work in our lives. I believe that miracles will not happen unless we are expecting them to. God will not burst in on us and do things that we do not expect. If he did, God would be a bully, pushing in where he is not wanted or welcomed.

We should anticipate God speaking and working in our lives. When we anticipate, or look forward to God doing something it is more likely that he will, and more likely that we will be prepared for it.

We should pray and ask God to speak and work in our lives. If we do not ask for the presence of God, we can be pretty sure that we will not have the presence of God.

The people who are always hearing God are the ones who are listening for him and believing that he will speak. I do not believe that they are more faithful, or that God speaks to them more than to the rest of us. I do believe, however, that they are more prepared to hear.

It is time for you and I to anticipate, expect and pray for the miraculous, the work of God. Now and always.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Although the issue of same sex marriage has not been very prominent in the current campaign season, there is still an undercurrent of discontent among those- usually evangelical Christians- who are opposed to it. There are movements for constitutional amendments, judicial prohibitions and legislative action to end this "abomination" that is certain to "destroy the fabric of the American family."

However, there are a lot of things that are already in place in our culture that really do threaten our families. There are practices that we tolerate and embrace that erode the foundation of 'traditional' families all around us. And yet, as a general rule, we do not perform the same kind of protest against any of these.

Divorce

Adultery

Drinking

Gambling

Fornication

Lying

Driving over the speed limit

Cheating on your income tax

Looking the other way

Pirating music

Pirating movies

Sharing copyrighted computer files

Buying term papers

Gossiping

Slandering

Being hateful

Every one of these- and many more- are clearly sin when viewed in light of the Bible. Everyone of these is against the will of God. Some of these are even illegal. Every one will lead to other sins and/ or be injurious to your own virtue. Consequently, every one of these sins will unravel the fabric of your family.

So the question is this: Why is gay marriage so much more important than any other?

If you are going to be serious about standing up for God's will and word, then you must begin by having a consistent life that seeks to obey at every point.